Category: blog

You know how devastating the California lifetime requirement is, requiring you to be a registered sex offender. That law has been changed. A contemporary, tier-based approach to risk recognition that acknowledges different degrees of risk marks a step in California, which no longer relies on its strict system. Instead, with the enactment of Senate Bill…

A felony conviction may leave significant permanent employment, housing, and civil rights barriers. Luckily, California law offers several avenues to reduce a felony to a misdemeanor, providing a second opportunity to a person who has shown signs of rehabilitation. This process is commonly known as a wobbler reduction and can be life-changing. It reinstates gun…

Probable cause is a fundamental principle of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, protecting citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures. It is the test that the police must pass before they can search, seize property, and make an arrest. Probable cause is a reasonable belief, supported by facts and circumstances, that a crime has…

California’s justice system faces a difficult question: At what age should a minor be tried as an adult? The consequences of this choice are significant, and the results could severely alter a young person’s future with more severe punishment and long-term effects. Although most juvenile cases remain in juvenile court, certain serious offenses, like murder,…

Administering drugs to another person with the intent to commit a felony is unlawful. If you willingly and intentionally administer drugs to another person with the intent of manipulating or incapacitating him/her for criminal reasons, you could face grave penalties under Penal Code 422. Prosecutors and judges are strict on drug‐related offenses, particularly when drugs…

Gone are the days when everyone suffering from a drug addiction would spend time behind bars after committing a drug-related crime. Treatment-mandated felony allows the defendant to recover from the real issue, the addiction. Instead of serving time, the defendant participates in a comprehensive personalized treatment program on probation, addressing what contributed to the criminal…

The 4th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects you from illegal search and seizure. If law enforcers believe you used a property to commit an offense, they can obtain a search warrant from a judge. The warrant allows the police to search you or the property for evidence associated with the criminal activity and seize…

If you are under arrest or investigation as a suspect in a felony case, it is natural to worry about the offense’s impact on your life. Before even the prosecution process begins, you could wonder how long a conviction for a felony will remain on your criminal record. Generally speaking, a conviction for any felony…

Whether on TV, in the news, or even in casual conversations, we frequently hear the terms “homicide” and “murder” used interchangeably. While these two crimes are closely related because they involve the killing of another person, they hold different meanings in the Penal Code that make a significant difference in the sentence you could face…

Unfortunately, a conviction for certain crimes carries long-term consequences beyond jail time and fines. In addition to affecting your employment opportunities and eligibility to acquire a practice license, a criminal conviction history could strip you of your gun rights, especially if the offense you have on your record is a felony. A felony conviction typically…